Kagome's Halloween Costume
by Spunkles
Summary: Summary: Kagome has a costume for Halloween that’s entertaining and scary all wrapped into one.
1. Chapter 1

**Kagome's Halloween Costume**

Summary: Kagome has a costume for Halloween that's entertaining and scary all wrapped into one.

A/N: I just had to put one out there for Halloween. Was going to be a one-shot…but the story got away from me and the characters wrote themselves into something a little longer than originally planned. Read and you shall see.

Sota couldn't help but pace back and forth impatiently.

"Come on already," he grumbled to his sister's door.

"I'm hurrying as fast as I can…wait a couple of minutes."

Sota sighed and kicked the door.

"Jeez Sota…just cause your dressed like him does not mean you need to act like him."

Sota rolled his eyes.

"I still don't know why I have to wear this rosary…It only looks like Inuyasha onii-san's a little bit. Not really though. It only kinda looks like it because of the tooth fang. Hey…where did you get the tooth?"

"It's a prop Sota…I found it in a Halloween costume shop."

"Oh."

"What, did you think it was from some demon we battled…gross Sota."

"Well…it would be cooler."

"Whatever."

"What are you going as anyway?"

"The scariest thing I know…something that if I turned into would freak me out forever."

"Are you done yet?"  
"Soon."  
"Oi wench…come on…I thought you said you had something interesting to show me…besides, we have jewel shards to find."

"Either your impression, of Inuyasha, has gotten better Sota or go tell that loud mouth two-timing jerk to go wait downstairs until I'm ready."

Sota chuckled, but ushered Inuyasha downstairs.

Once they had both gone downstairs, Kagome opened the door bit by bit. Seeing no one outside her door…she smiled and crept downstairs, stopping in her mother's bedroom to pick up the item she had asked her mother to make.

At the bottom of the stairs, she heard Sota & Inuyasha talking with her mother and grandfather.

Smiling to herself, she entered the room saying,

"I'm ready."

All eyes turned to her…

Her mother stared proudly, her alterations and hard work had paid off brilliantly, her Jii-chan was conflicted between the urge to laugh and the urge to run and go get some wards and plaster them to her, her brother stared at her wide-eyed, for he had never seen such a thing before.

Only Inuyasha, who was dressed up like Miroku, at Kagome's request, did the opposite of what she expected.

He fell out on the floor, rolling around, laughing.

"Oh when we're done this trick-or-treating you were telling me about…I'm pulling you back through the well so you Miroku, Shippo, Sango, Kirara, and even Kaede can see you."

Kagome rolled her eyes but nodded to show that she was agreeing…that would increase her fun for the night.

"What are you?" Sota asked.

"She's….she's…" Inuyasha tried to explain, but he just couldn't get it out.

"She's a demon," Grandpa said, sniffing to himself and mumbling how those who dwell as protectors of shrines and their kin should not go around dressed as ugly demons.

Inuyasha couldn't get up the energy to fuss at Grandpa; he was still trying to stop laughing.

"Alright Mr. Laughie…come on..." Kagome told him as she grabbed his collar pulling him up, "we've got to go. Bye Grandpa. Bye mom."

She waved bye as they headed out trick or treating.

Every household they hit looked at Kagome's costume in awe. Some laughed hard, as Inuyasha had done. Others looked on in horror. Other children asked her where she had gotten in.

She merely told them she had made it….with help from her mother.

Those children promised that they were coming up to the shrine next year to get their costumes made.

Kagome smiled.

Sota walked around performing his 'Iron Reaver Soul Stealer' move for the other children. He even had a sword made to look just like Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga and he would whip it out sometimes and shout "Kaze no Kizu."

And Kagome would whisper to Inuyasha, who would in tern, when Sota got a little too out of hand, would shout "Osuwari" and Sota, knowing the role he had to play, always fell to the ground face first.

After getting up for the seventh time, Sota groaned,

"That sucks. Stop sitting me Inuyasha."

"You're Inuyasha tonight pal. And if ya want to be me…you have to be stuck with my curse too."

"In-u-ya-sha," Kagome sing- songed.

"You promised you wouldn't do it tonight," Inuyasha reminded her, looking nervous.

"I know, I know…and I won't. You're S-I-T free tonight…But honestly… can you not try to grope me every once in a while?"

"I'm just trying to stay in character," he said with a lecherous grin.

"I should belt you."  
"Aww…but you're not Sango…so that's a no for you."

"Alright…fair…but would you really grope me if I was who I looked like? Cause if so…there's more to you than I know…"

Inuyasha shuddered at the mental picture she had given him and then told her loudly,

"Shut up Kagome."

Kagome giggled and then when the same mental picture she had given Inuyasha ran through her head as well, she burst out laughing once again.

Sota looked at them both a clueless expression on his face…but then he thought about if he really wanted to know and decided that he really didn't. So he shrugged his head and continued his goal to fill his bag to the brim with yummy goodness.

An hour and ½ later, they're bags were full and they headed back to the shrine.

Reaching the Higurashi household they went back inside.

"Tadaima" Sota & Kagome shouted as they entered the house, after removing their shoes.

Inuyasha, thanks to wearing Miroku's long monks robe, didn't have to wear shoes, so he just followed them in.

Her mother greeted them,

"Okaeri nasai" she smiled at her children, still chuckling to herself at both of their costumes.

"Did you get tons of candy?"

"Did we ever…and almost all of the other children want you and Kagome to do their next year's costumes."

Their mother laughed.

"I'm glad that it was such a success….Kagome what are you doing with that candy?"  
"Well since I promised Inuyasha that I would go show the others my outfit, I have to take candy for them…especially Shippo. Can you imagine a Halloween without candy for the young…?"

"Understood dear. Don't forget to take the homemade meal I made for you and your friends."

"I won't, "Kagome said, running upstairs briefly to pack her backpack full of supplies and clothes.

She knew if she was going back to the feudal era, Inuyasha wouldn't just let her go to show off her costume…he'd let her show off her costume and then would be raring to go and look for more jewel shards tomorrow morning. No point in having Inuyasha yell and act like a giant baby over nothing, she figured.

Coming back downstairs, she found Inuyasha pacing; he glanced her way and grinned widely, and then said,

"Come on…let's go."

"I'm coming…I'm coming. Get the food from mom."

"Okay."

Grabbing her mother's huge bento box, he led the way down to the well house, with Kagome behind him.

Kagome turned around and waved by to her family before jumping in the well with Inuyasha.

On the other side of the well, instead of helping Kagome climb up, Inuyasha grabbed her backpack and the bento box and leapt out of the well, he called down to say,

"I'm gonna make sure everybody's at Kaede's. I'll be right back to get you."

"Alright," Kagome answered.

She finished climbing out and stretched before heading on her way to Kaede's village.

On her way, she heard a young, sweet voice loudly whisper,

"Jaken, where are you?"

Coming upon the clearing she was now in, she saw Rin, looking around for Jaken. Rin turned and saw her and stopped, staring, eyes wide.

Kagome had to close her eyes not to burst out laughing at the child's expression.

"Master Jaken…you got huge?"  
"Rin…where are you hiding you little brat…when I get my hands on you I'll…"

Jaken trailed off as he entered the clearing and saw an almost exact larger copy of himself staring back at him.

Kagome wasn't sure she could hold the laughter in as she glanced down at Jaken's bugged out eyes at his own double.

"Well…I didn't imagine we grew to almost ningen size. You are almost as handsome as me..."

Kagome closed her eyes to stop the laughter.

"Master Jaken don't be silly. You're only handsome when Rin puts flowers on you…"

"Why you miserable, rude brat..."

Whipping his staff forward, he reached back to hit Rin over the head with it…

Only for it to be plucked from his fingers at the last minute, as Kagome grabbed it and whacked him upside the head instead.

Sesshomaru, coming into the clearing stopped at the oddest sight before him, lifting an eye at the giant sized Jaken beating Jaken on the head with his own staff.

Rin giggled as the bigger Jaken beat up the little Jaken, unaware of her Lord's presence until she heard a twig snap.

Turning around she said,

"Sesshomaru-sama…look…there are two Jaken's…but one Jaken is bigger than the other…how come our Jaken is tiny?"

"Water Kappa demons are usually small Rin."

Rin turned back to survey the Jaken look-alike.

"Then that makes the bigger Jaken…"

"A fake," Sesshomaru said his voice deadly cold.

"Who are you?"  
"It's me," Kagome said softly.

"The miko?" Sesshomaru's question was drowned out by Rin's exclamation.

"Kagome onee-san… Rin is glad you came to save me from Jaken's stick. He's always hitting Rin with it. Kagome-oneesan…why are you dressed ugly like Jaken?"

Kagome giggled before answering her.

"It's a costume Rin. In my village, we have a tradition called Halloween and on this night, we dress as ghouls, goblins, or demons, or anything fun and go from hut to hut."

"And then what happens?"  
"And then the adults give us candy?"  
"What purpose does this serve?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Not a purpose really…it's fun for the village children. The children display their costumes to the other villagers and the other children and they go from hut to hut to receive candy from the villagers."

"Candy?"

"Sweets…here…I have some in a pocket. I have more in my bag, but Inuyasha took that back to Kaede's village."

Stepping forward, she unwrapped a jolly rancher candy and handed it, after holding it out for Sesshomaru's inspection to Rin.

Rin sniffed it and then put it in her mouth.

Her smile almost lit the forest up.

"It's good Sesshomaru-sama. It tastes like nothing Rin has ever tasted before.

"Don't bite it Rin, it's hard, just suck on it." Kagome warned her.

Rin nodded sucking happily.

At the happy look from the child, Kagome emptied her pockets.

"Come here Rin."

Rin ran over to her.

"Say trick or treat."

"Rick ow reat" (her mouth still full of candy).

Kagome laughed.

"Close enough…now hold out your hands."

As Rin did as she said, she placed all the candy she had in her sleeve pockets in the child's outstretched hands.

"Wow…thanks Kagome onee-san."

"Your welcome Rin…just make sure that you take off the wrapping first, okay?"

Rin nodded, bouncing happily running back to show her Sesshomaru-sama her gifts. And then, as instructed by him, ran off to show Ah Un and maybe sneak the dragon a couple of pieces with Jaken following behind her.

"Do you wish a reward for your good dead?" Sesshomaru asked her

Kagome blinked.

"No…why?"

"Humans always want a reward when they do something for another."

"Well I don't. Besides, I got my reward watching her face light up. I just wish I had more on me…I don't suppose you'd be willing to come to Kaede's village with me so I can get her some more, will you?"

At Sesshomaru's lift of his eyebrow she sighed.

"I thought not. Oh well. Hopefully I can keep Inuyasha and the gang and myself from eating them all and she can have some more when we meet again."

"You are odd Miko."

"Probably…but …"

"Why would you dress up like Jaken?"

"I couldn't think of anything scarier…wouldn't you freak out if you woke up and found yourself looking like Jaken?"

Sesshomaru couldn't stop himself from smiling a little.

"Oh my Kami…you smiled. I saw it."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, but said nothing.

Kagome wondered why he wasn't threatening her today. Usually he was trying to kill her. But she wasn't knocking it.

In fact she realized that they were pretty much having a decent conversation.

"Be that as it may…why didn't you dress up as any other…were you afraid you couldn't do it credit?"

"Like who, you?"  
"Do not fathom that you could imitate me and do it justice. I meant like…Inuyasha or your demon exterminator friend, or even one of the many demons you've seen."

"I just didn't think of them…besides…my brother dressed up as Inuyasha…see," she said pulling out her photograph she had taken of her brother dressed up like Inuyasha.

"What is this sorcery?"

"It's not sorcery…it's called a picture. Just look at it."

Sesshomaru was about to remind her why it wasn't acceptable to give a Taiyoukai orders, when she said,

"Please."

He nodded and looked…only to chuckle out loud at the photo of her brother dressed up like Inuyasha.

"How did you make the ears, or is your brother a hanyou as well?"

"Oh no…Mom made his costume. I only made him the rosary. And she made a headband and attached white felt pieces to it. She did great work, don't you think?"

"Indeed."

"And the funniest part was we allowed Inuyasha to be in charge of the SIT command and every time Inuyasha shouted it, he'd drop to the ground and mutter loudly."

Sesshomaru chuckled again.

"And my half-brother…what was he dressed up as, if your brother was being him."

"He was dressed up as Miroku."

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow again.

"He borrowed Miroku's robes and I wrapped a pair of beads around his right hand to block off his 'Kazana' and my mom got him this dark colored wig so that his hair sort of looks like Miroku's. We tucked his own hair under his robes and mom did something to make his, which she had cut holes out for, look dark and unnoticeable.

Besides it helps that it's done in the evening…so we didn't have to explain much.

The only problem we had was apparently Miroku's robes embed the wearer with his lecherous thoughts and actions, because I had to fend off Inuyasha's advances like I usually had to do Miroku's. Until I gave him a mental image…and that stopped that train of thought."

"Which image was that?"

Kagome smiled as she told him,

"I asked him that if I was really Jaken, would he grope me…and if so…did he have something he wanted to tell me."

Sesshomaru laughed long and hard.

Kagome stared at him in shock.

Sesshomaru eventually calmed back down and Kagome shook her head.

"You should do that more often you know."  
"Do what?"

"Laugh."

"It is not something someone in my position does much of."

"Oh…appearances…must be hard to always have to abide by them."

"Hard for you ningen. I do what I have to do."

"Alright, alright…no need for name calling…we were having a decent conversation until you reverted."

Sesshomaru just nodded.

"Anyway…who says I couldn't dress up like you…I bet I'd be good at it too."

Sesshomaru looked her up and down.

"Well…you managed to make Jaken look decent…however…I do not think you can accomplish the beauty there is in me."

"Is that a challenge?"

"I do not issue such petty things to ningen."

"Sure you don't. Fine…you're on…next Halloween, exactly 365 days from today…I'll dress up like you…and we'll see if I do…but if I pull it off well…what's my reward?"

"I thought you weren't like the other pathetic ningen…"

"I'm still not…but I don't mind helping folks when they're in trouble for free, or doing something to make a child smile, but you goaded me into it…so you better think up a good reward."

"I have a reward."

"What is it?"  
"I'll tell you when you win…if you win. Either you present me with a decent copy of myself next year and receive your reward, or you don't…and you receive nothing…or maybe I'll just kill you."

Kagome rolled her eyes. They were back to the killing her plan again.

"Actually…"

"Backing out already," Sesshomaru asked her silkily.

"No…can I finish please?"

Sesshomaru nodded.

"What I was saying was who knows what will happen to either one of us in a whole year's time. I'm only 16, but you're ancient. You might not last until then."

"Baiting me is not a way for you to last a year either woman."

"Kagome is my name…you know…and I wasn't trying to bait you…I was just saying that it's possible anything could happen. So instead of a whole year…how about you give me two months…but you have to be back here in a two weeks time. I have a test around then and I'll get Inuyasha to bring me home. If I'm going to make a good replica of you…I want a picture first."

"The sorcery in the film you showed me."

"I told you it's a picture. You'll see. Do you agree?"  
"I agree."

"Great. I guess I'll see you then…I better get going. Inuyasha's probably going crazy by now."

Sesshomaru sniffed.

"The hanyou is on his way now. Go…I do not feel like being bothered by him today. I'll be back in 14 days to provide you with your picture."

"Domo Arigatou Sesshomaru-sama."

Sesshomaru nodded before leaping away.

He was gone a few minutes…Kagome headed toward the village when Inuyasha bounded up to her.

"What's been taking you so long?"

"I'll tell you later…come on…don't you want to see their faces?"

Inuyasha gave her a look and then deciding against pursuing it for now, nodded and they walked back to the village, coming upon Kaede's hut quickly.

Smiling to one another, Inuyasha stepped into the house followed by Kagome.

The others looked up in greeting and then stopped and stared at the sight before them.

They had already seen the Inuyasha acting Miroku earlier.

But the giant Jaken was a whole new sight to them.

Shippo yelped and ducked behind Kaede and Sango.

Kaede chuckled.

Sango's eyes widened.

Even Kirara did a double take.

Kagome and Inuyasha chucked at their friends reactions and waited for the final one to react.

Miroku's reaction, however, was similar to Inuyasha's and he fell to the floor laughing.

"Oh Lady Kagome," he said…when he could talk once again, "what would possibly possess you to dress yourself as Jaken?"

"Isn't it great," Kagome said with a smile on her face.

"Ka…Ka…Kagome?" Shippo sniffed, look around Kaede's legs.

"It's me Shippo…don't be afraid. It's a costume…besides…look what I got you," she said going over to her bag and pulling out a giant lollipop.

Shippo bounded over to her inspecting her outfit up close.

"You look like a huge Jaken…I thought you were going to eat me. But I'm glad you're you…oh…Candy!"

Shippo started licking with delight…his tiny face in ecstasy at the taste.

Kagome laughed at her kitsune's expression and turned back to Sango.

"Well, what do you think?"

"I don't know what to say…"

"I'm guessing that means I would win if we had a costume party. Although I think we need to get your robes checked out Miroku…Inuyasha suffered the same affliction that you normally do. He groped me so many times I almost wish I had dressed up like you Sango so I could have brained him with your Hiraikotsu…if only I could lift the dang thing."

Sango then laughed.

"Jeez Kagome…you do the oddest things. But that's a good disguise. I couldn't decide whether to grab my Hiraikotsu or laugh."

"Then I'm very glad laughter won out."

Kagome turned to Kaede.

"You didn't seem surprised at all…how come?"  
"Inuyasha bid ye to come in…I figured it was you. Besides…he brought your bag and your mother's stuff in not too long ago…why would he have ye things and not ye…that didn't make much sense. So I knew ye were coming."

Kagome nodded.

"Okay…well now that I've shown all my costume…I think I have to go wash this off…Shippo, Sango…do either of you want to take a bath with me?"

"I'll come," Shippo said dancing.

"Me too," Sango said, gathering her washing supplies.

"Me too," Miroku said.

A loud thump was heard echoing through the village.

Kagome, Shippo, & Sango called cheerful "See you later," to Kaede & Inuyasha.

Inuyasha, finally back in his own clothes, his hair and ears free as usual, stepped over the downed & unconscious Miroku, muttering "Hentai," before leaping up into the trees to keep watch on all.

Kaede laughed and stepped back into her hut.

Those children made her days entertaining. She could only wonder what they were going to do next.

End first chapter


	2. Chapter 2: Preparations

Chapter 2: Preparations on how to pretend to be a Demon Lord

Kagome had decided to battle Inuyasha earlier than usual, letting him know after every couple of days that she had to be home within that 14 day span.

"Humph…I don't know why you always want to run home to take these tests… like you need to learn all that nonsense anyway. You're most important job is finding the jewel shards."

"Yes I know…I'm nothing but a shard detector to you."

"That's right…I mean…"

"Osuwari"

As Inuyasha did his usual face plant, Kagome stepped over him saying as she stormed away…I'm going home in exactly 11 more days…and I don't want to hear anymore against it or I'll S-I-T you so much you'll still be digging yourself out by the time I return."

Kagome stormed off, heading back to the village they were currently staying in, in other words, the village where Miroku was currently 'performing' an exorcism of some ominous clouds on.

Inuyasha sighed heavily, muttering darkly, but intelligibly, his head deep down in the ground. When the spell finally wore off, he sat up and rubbed the dirt and grass from his face, glaring at the direction Kagome had stormed off in.

"Wench," he muttered.

"**Osuwari**," was shouted from a distance away.

Inuyasha took another dive to the ground and ground.

'Damn…I thought she was too far away to hear me. Now I'll be here for a bit longer.'

Kagome, as she calmed down once approaching the village, allowed herself a smile.

'Now to prepare myself…how do I act like a demon lord….hmm…Sesshomaru…well…he's handsome, and knows it but doesn't act very aware of it, just like it's something that is. He walks leisurely, unless he's battling or in a rush, and then he's really fast. He has a poison whip that comes out…he transforms into a giant white dog. None of which I can do…so …I better start analyzing him…and see what I can do.'

Kagome, once reaching the village, and greeting her friends, including cuddling and eventually putting Shippo to sleep, pulled out her rucksack and found her notebook and flipped it open to reveal a blank page.

On the top of the page she wrote: Sesshomaru

Under it she wrote characteristics…good thing she was going to get a picture of him. She was sure she was going to need it and she patted her bag's front pocket. At first she was sure she had to go home and get her camera, but then she remembered she had brought it to capture her friends' expressions of her in her Jaken costume and also just to take pictures of her friends from the feudal era. So all she needed to do was...

'Okay Kagome, back to your list.'

Silver Hair - Now I would say dye my own hair, but his is much longer than mine, so maybe I should either see if mom can sew in some extensions and then we dye my hair, or…I'll see if we can find a really long wig…oh…and he has bangs that come right above his eyes.

Mokomoko-sama – I don't know what that's for. Is that his tail when he transforms or is that just part of his outfit? I really don't know…but it doesn't look so hard to duplicate. I'll have mom see if we can get that fluffy substance we used for that school play once when I was younger. That should work.

Tenseiga & Tokijin – Two swords…while I'm not going to have their power…at least I can get two props that look the same.

Markings – Crescent moon on forehead and two magenta, almost long triangular-type shapes on each cheek. Okay…these can be easily duplicated. Crescent moon is dark blue – open part is toward left eye.

Outfit – White. Tips of each sleeve are crimson. I need the picture to get more details, but I think there's red at the top as well. White bulbous- type Hakama pants.

Does he wear an inner and outer haori top? Or is it a haori at all?

Footwear – They just look like simple black shoes…nothing extensive. At least he wears some... poor Sota had to wear something that attached to the bottom of his foot, so that it looked like he was barefoot but he actually had some kind of weird shoes on – my mom is such a genius when it comes to props.

Eyes – Like Inuyasha's – Golden. Hmm…I wonder if mom's make up artist friend can help me get golden eyes.

Hey, maybe she can even help me with the hair…I'll have to see.

Ears – pointed at the top– elfish like.

'I wonder if they're soft'

Shaking her head, she got back down to business.

Mom's friend might be able to help me with the ears too.

Armor – spikes over the left shoulder, Mokomoko-sama on the right. Armor plate is black and covers his chest…down to his waist…I think it might flare down his hips a bit. Front flap and back flap? Or front and back and sides? I'll have to double check when I take the picture.

'I might have to see if I can get him to give me more than one…and maybe he'll just turn around for me and do a pirouette and then a handstand just for me…yeah right, Kagome. Well it won't hurt to ask…I hope.'

She shuddered a little bit thinking about his claws…

'Oh…almost forgot.'

Claws – those should be pretty easy to duplicate…get extra long fingernails…and don't get the French manicure ones.

Arm – one arm…Inuyasha cut off the left one…so I can only use my right arm…that should be fun. Good thing I'm right handed.

Sash – yellow, with blue tips? –and it goes around his hips and dangles down long…I think it almost touches the ground, but I'll have to check.

Kagome blushed thinking about his hips,

'Jeez…I've never stopped and thought about his every aspect and how he looks…he's really…hot…oh Kami.'

Kagome shook her head in an attempt to shake such thoughts from her.

Okay…do I have everything?

Oh…under markings – he has magenta stripes on his hand as well…around his wrist?

I'll have to double check with him.

I might have to ask him if he has markings anywhere else'

A sudden image of Sesshomaru disrobing in front of her to show her where else he may have markings made her mouth go dry.

'I am such a Hentai' she thought.

'Okay Kagome. We do not wonder such things' she told herself' hoping her mind would obey her…but she doubted it severely…she had never knowingly sat and assessed Sesshomaru before, but she had to admit…he was a very handsome guy. If he hadn't been so ningen hating, smiled and laughed more often, and didn't try to kill her, he'd have been the perfect guy.

'Oh well…I think I have everything down…guess it's time to …'

Kagome's yawn interrupted her thought process.

'Time to sleep,' she thought with a smile and closing her notebook and putting back in her rucksack, she cuddled herself down in her sleeping back and went to sleep.

Ten days later found them back at Kaede's village.

It had taken a lot of 'Osuwari's on her part and a lot of arguing with Inuyasha, but she had managed to keep him to her schedule and he had eventually relented and allowed them to come back to the village, a day earlier than scheduled, too.

Shippo had laughed hard as Kagome had reached up to feel Inuyasha's forehead declaring that he must have been sick for them to get back here a whole day ahead of schedule.

For his part, Inuyasha had just "Keh'd and jumped up into his favorite tree, ignoring her.

Sango, Miroku, and Kaede and all chucked, but quietly not to hurt Inuyasha's already frayed feelings, and set about their usual tasks.

"When will you be back Kagome?" Shippo asked her.

"In three days Shippo."

"Okay."

"Three days," Inuyasha said, leaping down from his perch, "no one told you can go for that long. You go home and take your damn test and right after school, you bring your tail right back here."

"What was that?" Kagome said, raising an eyebrow

Inuyasha started…

'Oh hell…she's gonna sit me like there's no tomorrow.

"I was just saying…that…" Inuyasha muttered attempting to backpedal himself out of the huge Inuyasha shaped hole in the ground he was heading for.

"I will be gone for three days…and if I see you or your red haori covered butt anywhere in my time in one of your attempts to come and collect me, I'll sit you so many times you won't be able to climb out and they won't be free for another 500 years until they dig you up in an exhibition…do you understand me?"

Inuyasha muttered to himself silently, but all he did was nod.

"Good. Now…would you like me to bring back which kinds of Ramen?"

"Feh"

"I'll take that as your favorite kind…anything else."

Inuyasha growled at her and then jumped away, leaping back up into his tree.

Kagome smiled as she walked back to the hut and Shippo asked where Inuyasha was.

Kagome pointed up to the tree and Shippo said loudly,

"Is he sulking again? Jeez, I'm a kid and he acts younger than I do."

"I heard that," Inuyasha shouted down to them.

"Good." Shippo shouted back.

Kagome just laughed at the both of them before warning Shippo.

"You know how he gets; you better not aggravate him too much?"

Shippo gave her a look, looked up at Inuyasha who was glaring down at him and did his best impression by adopting an Inuyasha like stance, crossing his arms and turning his back on her while muttering,

"Keh."

Kagome nearly fell out laughing.

Miroku, who had come along to just in time to see Shippo's imitation, burst out laughing too.

Inuyasha sent Shippo a glare that promised tons of pain while Kagome was in her own time.

When Kagome could talk again, she said,

"Oh Shippo, sweetheart, that was priceless…I'm gonna bring you an extra lollipop for that."

Catching a look at the death glare Inuyasha was still beaming Shippo's way she also stated,

"And if I find out that you tried or did hurt my little boy in any way Inuyasha, I will S-I-T you until you come up on the other side of the world. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, yeah…humph," Inuyasha said, jumping down from his perch. "Isn't it time for you to go already?"

"Trying to get rid of me won't get you sat…. besides…I told my mom I'd be back tomorrow morning…so you'll just have to put up with me for the rest of the night."

Inuyasha huffed again, but said nothing. He just walked back into Kaede's hut.

Now it was true, Kagome did tell her mother she'd be back the next day, but that really wasn't the reason she wasn't leaving yet…she had an appointment with a certain demon lord…so she knew she'd better be on time.

'Hold up…did I give him an exact time? I don't think so…damn…I hope I'm not waiting there all day for him…cause I'm sure Inuyasha and the gang will be around and I am already going to have a tough time explaining myself when I snap my pictures of Sesshomaru…and ask him my questions.

'I hope he answers them' was all she thought.

Heading back into the hut she decided that since she had an, shall we say, interesting day ahead of her, she might as well prepare by getting a good nights sleep.

With that she walked back into Kaede's hut and after finishing her self appointed tasks, wished everyone goodnight before turning in.

On the way to the well the next morning with Inuyasha, Kagome wondered what she might have to do if Sesshomaru wasn't there yet. It was still on the early side, but since she had a test the next day, she knew that once she had gotten home, she'd have to study extra hard. Searching for jewel shards and fighting demons wasn't really all that conducive to studying for exams and quizzes.

She had said her goodbyes to all the others at Kaede's village, but Inuyasha had insisted that he take her to the well.

She pretty much had decided to go through the well, to get rid of Inuyasha, and then jump back through the well ten minutes later and be prepared to wait for Sesshomaru.

However…she need not have worried.

Her first indication that he was already at the spot was when Inuyasha sniffed the air and then growled loudly.

When we were within view of the well, we saw him.

Sesshomaru was leaning against one of the trees with a clear view of the well.

Inuyasha, of course, growled out at him,

"What the hell are YOU doing here Sesshomaru?"

"None of your business half-breed.

'There they go again.'

"Inuyasha…"

"Move back Kagome, I'll protect you from this…"

"Osuwari"

Inuyasha went flying down to the ground and Kagome stopped and crouched down next to her downed friend.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha, but I asked Sesshomaru to come. I need to get some information from him and I would like it if you wouldn't make this difficult."

"Crazy bi.."

"Osuwari"

Inuyasha once again slammed back into the ground.

"I warned you about calling me that name"

"Mrfmp pm f fpo fm po fos"

"What was that?"  
"I said, Fine…don't blame me if you get your head lobbed off," Inuyasha muttered hopping up as the spell wore off. "And don't expect me to save you either," he said bounding up into the nearest tree.

"I won't…see you in three days," she said waving to him.

But she was ignored as he jumped away, still pissed off.

She shook her head sadly; this was going to take a whole lot of Ramen, a whole lot of telling him that she was sorry, and whole lot of begging.

But it was worth it.

She turned and started to head back to Sesshomaru when she noticed that said demon was now right in front of her.

Trying not to have a heart failure, she closed her eyes and breathed slowly and deeply.

When she opened her eyes once more she found him watching her with those cold but gorgeous golden eyes.

She smiled and bowed to him greeting him,

"Ohayo Sesshomaru."

He raised his eyebrow at her.

'Did she really believe that he would lower himself to speak to a ningen?' he wondered.

Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Thanks for showing up…can you step back some so I can get a good picture? I'm going to have to take a couple of them, is that okay?"

Sesshomaru simply nodded and moved back about a yard.

"Okay that's good. I would say smile, but I doubt you'd do it," Kagome said as she snapped a picture of him.

She was amazed when she actually saw him smirk at her through the lens.

She snapped the picture quick and then said, "Can you turn around too?"

He gave her an odd look, but turned around so she could snap more pictures of him.

Turning completely back around, he gave her a look.

"I'm almost finished. Thank you for your patience."

He looked up towards the sun for one of her final pictures of him.

When she had put the camera away, he asked her,

"Are you done now ningen?"

"Kagome"

"Hmm?"

"My name…its Kagome….Ka-go-me"  
"I didn't ask you."

"I know…but you want me to address you as Sesshomaru-sama…do you not?"

He merely looked at her.

"Well you want me to address you formally, but I bet it annoys you when I forget to do it, right?"

There was a slight tilt to his head.

"Well, I like to be addressed as not woman, ningen, brat, bitch, or any of those or other such unpleasant or annoying names…I'd like to be addressed as my name- Kagome."

Sesshomaru merely rolled his eyes and started to walk away, but stopped at her words.

"Just one more moment of your time Sesshomaru…please."

He glanced back at her.

"I have a few questions I wanted to ask you."

"I do not recall you plying Jaken with questions when you made yourself up to be him."

"Well, no, but I didn't take pictures of him either because it didn't really matter then. You however challenged me to do my best to imitate you…so that's exactly what you're going to get…my best."

Kagome nodded as she spoke in emphasis to her words.

"Ask quickly then."

She was almost too shocked by his easy compliance to hurry and work as quickly as he wanted her to. But she soon gathered herself and pulling out her notebook, after quickly scanning for the points she had questions, she started,.

"Right…okay…is your Mokomoko-sama attached to you?"

"No."

"Okay…your outfit…is there an inner top as well?"

"Yes."

"Is it white as well?"  
"Off-white," he said, removing part of his outer haori top to show her.

"Okay…thanks…um… the last thing is…your markings."

"What about them?"

"Where else except your hand and face do you have them?"

Sesshomaru lifted an eyebrow and he smirked at her in his amusement.

"Is that really of a concern, Ka-go-me? Were you planning, during your imitation of me, to strip down and show them to me if I were to tell you where I have them?"

Kagome shivered at his words and his tone and then blushed bright red.

Forcing herself not to show him, as if he couldn't already tell by her very red face or raspy breathing or accelerated heartbeat, she said, with only a small waver in her voice,

"Don't be a hentai Sesshomaru-sama. I was merely asking for detail sake."

Smiling a slight wicked smile, Sesshomaru said,

"I see…well in that case..."

Moving very quickly, he stopped right before her, shocking her.

As she gasped, he ignored her and took hold of her right wrist, which was still holding her pencil while her left hand held her notebook.

In a very sensuous voice and with feather light touches on her skin he traced a pattern around and up her arm to her shoulders and pointing down to just above her breasts saying.

"My markings travel up my arm in this pattern, leading around my arms to reappear on my shoulders and point downwards trailing towards my heart."

Kagome was trembling.

His light touch was igniting a fire she didn't know she had inside of her.

Struggling to maintain her cool demeanor while her heart raced so fast she was sure she was going to pass out from it, she nodded and attempted to write that down when kneeled in front of her and he continued with,

"And I have similar markings on my legs, starting from my ankles and winding up my legs, in similar fashion as my arms, to come from behind my hips leading down to my…"

He didn't touch her, this time, but he used his hand to trail, on the outside of his clothes, the path his markings on his legs took, before standing up as he trailed them along the path, stopping on his thighs, but pointed toward his manhood.

Kagome gasped as her mind supplied what he left unsaid and a sudden image of a naked Sesshomaru popped into her head.

She backed up wildly, thanked Sesshomaru quicker than she had done anything before, and ran as if all the hounds of hell and Naraku and all his minions were chasing her, for the well.

Sesshomaru who watched until she had entered the well and the blue light had swirled up, announcing that she was gone from their world once again, and could no longer hold his amusement back and did the one thing that he was known far and wide for not doing…laughing.

He laughed long and hard at what had just happened.

Eventually he calmed down once again, turned and headed off.

He couldn't wait until it was time for her to display her portrayal of him to him.

He had a feeling it was going to be worthwhile.

A/N: Thanks to all…I'm working on it, I'm working on it…see…I just got wrapped up in the other one. :) Thanks for the reviews. Spunkles


	3. Chapter 3: Dressing Like a Demon Lord

Chapter 3: Dressing like a Demon Lord

It was finally time.

Her two months time limit was up.

Kagome looked herself over, in the mirror, once again and satisfied, she walked downstairs and stepped into her living room, where her mother, grandfather, and brother were waiting.

"Wow Kagome…you look.."

"Another demon…this isn't right. Miko blood in her and she dresses like another demon. Where did I go wrong?"

"Oh honey, you look exceptional."

"Hey…you kinda look like Inuyasha without the ears on top and the red outfit he always wears."

"Well that's cause this is his older half brother, Sota. His name is Sesshomaru-sama."

"Does he know the 'Iron Reaver Soul Stealer' move?"

"I honestly think that's an Inuyasha only move…but Sesshomaru has poison that comes out of his claws."

"Why are you hiding your left hand?"

"Cause Sesshomaru doesn't have one…Inuyasha cut it off some time ago."

"He cut off his arm?"

"Yep, with the Tetsusaiga."

"Inuyasha is SO cool."

"I'm sure he's glad you think so."

Sota grinned at her before she waved at them all saying,

"I'm headed off now."

"Take care dear."

"I'm going to pray that all the Kamis keep you safe… dressed like a demon…. where did I go wrong?"

"Bye sis…have fun."

Kagome waved to them all before heading to the well and jumping through, returning to the feudal area once again.

Once there, she climbed out of the well carefully and walked toward the spot that she had met Jaken, Rin, and Sesshomaru-sama two months ago.

'I guess they should be here soon,' she thought to herself.

A few minutes later, Jaken and Rin were visible as they came into range, for once leading their procession.

"I don't know why we're back in this Kami forsaken forest," Jaken was complaining.

"Because Sesshomaru-sama told us too," Rin told him, laughing. "You're so silly Jaken."

"Who are you calling silly, wretched ningen?"

"You Jaken-sama…did you forget?"

Having enough, Jaken raised his staff to bop the child on the head when he knocked backward by a small rock.

Looking up indignantly he was shocked and surprised to see Sesshomaru standing in front of him, looking cool and detached as usual.

He bowed low and said,

"Forgive me Sesshomaru-sama. I only thought to punish the child for…"

"Jaken-sama was picking on Rin again Sesshomaru-sama."

After speaking, Rin took a closer look at Sesshomaru.

Something about her beloved benefactor was different.

She stepped forward to investigate, accidentally stepping on top of the bent over Jaken causing him to squawk and then mutter curses at the child, as he started to get back up.

Another small rock careened into Jaken, sending him crashing back to the floor.

Looking up, he caught Sesshomaru standing directly over him looking down at him with disdain.

"Excuse my mutterings my lord."

"Hnn," Was Sesshomaru's only response as he looked up and stared at his double, who was standing in front of him.

Rin, looking back toward Jaken, was surprised as another Sesshomaru stepped from behind her.

She gasped and then looked at the Sesshomaru before her.

She turned back around and concentrated for a moment, before smiling wide and careening toward the Sesshomaru behind her, with a wide smile on her face.

"Sesshomaru-sama, Sesshomaru-sama…there's another Sesshomaru-sama before us…but there is something different…Rin is unsure."

"It is a copy Rin."

"Like there was of Jaken?"

"Yes."

"Does that mean, Kagome-sama, is it you?"

Kagome nodded, however she didn't smile at the girl, she wasn't supposed to break character until he got a good look at her.

Rin laughed and started dancing around her saying how wonderful she looked dressed as her Sesshomaru-sama and how flowers would help her to tell which one was Kagome oneesan and which one was her beloved Sesshomaru-sama.

Sesshomaru, ignoring Rin for the moment, stepped forward to inspect her outfit closer.

Jaken goggled at her before giving vent to a blast of feelings,

"How dare you ningen wench? It was bad enough when you dressed up as my precious self, but how dare you dress up as the Great Sesshomaru like you have the right. I ought to burn you with my staff of two heads. Filthy ningen…awkk.."

Jaken's diatribe was interrupted as two small rocks, one thrown by each Sesshomaru, knocked into him, knocking him onto his back.

Immediately he flipped over, assuming deep low bow.

"Please forgive me Lord Sesshomaru…I humbly apologize for speaking out of line."

Sesshomaru merely rolled his eyes and returned to his inspection of Kagome's outfit, once again.

"Not a bad copy ningen," he said coming to stand once more in front of her.

Kagome had been waiting for an opportunity to give him a taste of himself and said, flicking her long flowing silver hair back over her right shoulder as he had done when she had first met him, she said, mockingly, in a cold, even voice that while even though it was definitely feminine, could be matched somewhat with his tone and arrogance,

"This Kagome should never be expected to do less then exceptional."

Sesshomaru smirked at her.

'Sounds the way I would if I were a girl' he thought.

Wishing to speak to her about her outfit, but not wishing to have Rin nor Jaken watch, he merely dismissed them,

"Jaken"

"Yes my lord."

"Take Rin to gather some flowers for her wreath for this Miko, get her something to eat, and then wait until I come for you."

"Yes my lord." Jaken said bowing low before hopping up and leading Rin away on Ah Un.

However, Rin was not in the mood to be but so cooperative, she jumped down from her perch and ran back over to stand close to Sesshomaru, ignoring Jaken's loud mutterings to tell her to come back and obey him and their lord, before saying,

"Sesshomaru-sama, Rin wants to ask Kagome- onee-san a question first. Can Rin?"

Knowing that there was no quicker way to get the child to go with Jaken he agreed,

"Go ahead."

Rin gave him a thousand watt smile before running over to Kagome and saying,

"Kagome onee-san?"

"Yes Rin?"

"Rin thinks Kagome looks real pretty dressed up as Sesshomaru-sama."

Kagome glanced at Sesshomaru for a second and caught the assent in his eyes. She then turned her gaze down to Rin and said,

"I'm glad you think so Rin."

"Kagome onee-san?"

"Yes Rin."

"Is Kagome onee-san wearing a costume like the one she had on looking like ugly Jaken?"

Kagome was hard pressed not laugh at that one but was able to barely hold in her laughter. Especially as Jaken squawked and complained in the background muttering loudly that he was not ugly.

"Yes Rin…it's a costume as well."

Rin's face lit up.

"Does that mean its Trick and Treat time again?"

Kagome couldn't help it, she laughed this time, unable to withstand the hopeful grin on Rin's kawaii little face.

Calming down she said,

"I'm sorry Rin…it's not. Halloween won't be back again until almost next year."

Rin's face dropped and she gave a sad little sigh, turning back to head back to Jaken, steps taken like a little child who had to either take a bath or go to bed too early.

Kagome, however, had been pretty sure that she was going to see Rin and had stashed some candy away for her inside of her costume's sleeve.

"Rin," she called to her.

Rin turned back slowly, lips still pouted.

Even Sesshomaru was hard pressed not to laugh at the sight of the poor sugar-missing child.

"I guessed that I would be seeing you today, so I brought this for you," Kagome said, pulling out a small bag filled with all sorts of candy.

Rin, coming over to look in the bag, eyes widening when she saw what the little bag contained, smiled wide and wrapped her arms around Kagome's waist saying,

"Arigato, arigato oh Kagome onee-san, you've made Rin so very happy," she said as she danced around Kagome until she was stopped by Sesshomaru.

"Rin."

"Yes Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Go with Jaken."

"Yes Sesshomaru-sama. Thanks Kagome onee-san" she said, walking off to rejoin the kappa demon and her two-headed dragon friend. The former who nagged at her on their journey before the small child opening a wrapper, plopped something into Jaken's mouth, saying,

"Try this Jaken-sama, it's good. Rin had it last time."

Apparently the kappa demon thought it WAS good. For he stopped nagging and sucked on his candy while leading them on away on the errand Sesshomaru had given them.

Kagome watched them until they were out of sight and then turned to face the silent demon lord whose eyes were trained on her.

Readopting her earlier stance, Kagome let her eyes go expressionless as his, she had been practicing for weeks and had it pretty down pact, she thought.

Sesshomaru hated to admit it, but he was impressed.

He stepped closer to further inspect this almost perfect carbon copy of himself.

She had something very much resembling his Mokomoko-sama on her shoulder, he wondered if it was soft like his own?

He reached out and touched it and found it was soft.

" What is this material?"

"Is this Kagome allowed to drop character and answer?"

"You are."

"It's called cotton."

Sesshomaru nodded.

He took in her long silver hair, the markings of his birthright on her head and face.

He glanced down at her right hand, which was visible, and noticed the markings there too.

'I'll wait to tease her about the path of the markings, I need to finish my inspection first.'

She did a pretty good match with his outfit…only small things were different. Such as while his outfit was made of the finest silk hers seemed to be made of the same thing as her Mokomoko-sama.

The hair was a good match, it was the correct color and was as long as his, but he was sure that it was not as silky as his was; she had claw tips on the ends of her hand, keeping her other hand out of the way as to match him; and even her ears were pointed as his were. If he wasn't sure by smell she was still ningen, he would have thought she was an inu-demoness.

The swords and armor were obvious fakes to him, but then who else, but him, could wield his father's sword Tenseiga or the demon possessed Tokijin? Her armor was a fake as well, but it did match his, down to the last detail. He'd have to ask her what material the bone spikes and the armor plate was made from, for his quick touch told him that it wasn't nearly has heavy as his was.

"What sorcery has turned your eyes my color?"

"I have told you before, it's not sorcery. Let's just say things are a bit more advanced in my village. And its something called contacts. My mother has a friend who helps change how people look – one of the things they change all the time is eye color, so I showed her your picture and asked her if she could help me make my eyes that color. She had something available and here I am with eyes almost like yours."

"Most impressive."

"Well yes, my village does some pretty neat things."

"And where is this village exactly?"

"Umm?"

'How to tell him something not quite the truth, but not a lie either, cause I know he can smell those.'

"The well is a portal to your village, is that not correct?"

"It… is…did you follow me last time?"

"I did."

"That's rude you know."

"You jumped into the well, I thought your mind had suffered from long time exposure to the hanyou."

"You just can't call Inuyasha your brother can you?"

"Half-brother."

"Doesn't change what he is…oh…hold up…did you just make a joke?"  
"It took you that long to notice?"  
"Excuse me if I have a problem with the Ice Prince Sesshomaru making a joke – of course it took me that long…I didn't think you had a sense of humor."

"Of course I have a sense of humor, I usually don't meet anyone who understands it enough, is all… and I've killed others for less mocking of me then your doing now."

Kagome sighed and tossed her hair back once again.

"This Kagome is bored with this death-to-you conversation."

Sesshomaru smiled.

Kagome gave him a wary look.

Sesshomaru smile widened.

'Oh that can't be good. I think I over stepped my boundary again.'

"You have overstepped your boundaries Miko…"

'Oh my Kami…can he read minds? Oh Kami please don't tell me he can read minds. What if he can and he heard me think about what he'd look like if he disrobed…oh no…if he can, and he's right in front of me, what if he hears me think about him naked. Oh I did not just think that.'

Kagome was close to going into panic at what he might be hearing from her, before he continued.

"…However, I will not kill you today."

'Oh thank all Kami…he must not be able to. Thank Kami for small favors.'

"Arigato…I think."

Sesshomaru stepped closer to her, closing the gap in between them.

"This Sesshomaru is still not done his inspection."

'What else could he possibly look at' Kagome asked herself.

He had already looked at her fake Mokomoko-sama, her eyes, her ears, her armor, her fake swords, her claws, what was left?

Sesshomaru stepped behind her, as he glanced down to her footwear that was also very similar to his own.

'Not a bad copy indeed…I wonder if she did get all the markings…'

When he had not returned to being in front of her after what felt like an eternity, but was in actuality a few minutes, she turned to glance back at him, and caught him staring at her, as if he had been waiting for her to turn.

Her mind started running too fast for her to catch up, and she just watched him, ignoring the thoughts that her mind was trying to tell her.

"Turn around," was all he stated, so she did.

Just cause he said he wouldn't kill her, didn't mean he wouldn't do anything.

Sesshomaru was just too much of a wild card for her to be sure he wouldn't find some forms of torture fun.

The second after she complied, her mind stopped it's flight as Sesshomaru's hand slid from her shoulder, down to her arm.

He was still behind her, however, so the move was much more sensual than it would have been if he had been standing in front of her or next to her.

Her cheeks burned as she tried to shake the thought from her mind.

Encircling her wrist in his hand, he pulled it up and back to look at it. He saw how the markings disappeared up her sleeve.

Wicked thoughts ran through his mind as he leaned down to whisper in her ear,

"And did you follow my description of the path of my markings, Miko?"

Kagome opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out.

That low whisper and his touch were causing her brain to give her images that she knew she shouldn't be thinking.

Trying to focus on something else, anything else, she nodded to answer him, and focused down on the grass, but that wasn't good either, because now the images she had involved lying down on the grass.

'Oh Kami, I'll do anything if you get me out of this situation. I'll even listen to like 10 of Jii-chan's stories if you stop my mind from doing so.'

Sesshomaru heard her heartbeat race and saw how her skin flushed.

He smiled.

"Shall I see for myself if they are correct?"

Kagome bolted from his embrace, turning to look at him with wide eyes.

He still had the smile on his face.

"No…I just figured that they should be there…if I'm pretending to be you. That doesn't mean you get to see them."

"Oh…I see. I didn't show you mine, so you won't show me yours. That is understandable I suppose…"

Thinking that that might work, she said,

"Exactly. So…since you didn't show me yours, I'm not going to show you mine, just know that they are there and…What are you doing?"

Kagome was staring at Sesshomaru who was starting to disrobe

Sesshomaru smirked and said,

"I'm showing you mine, for I wish to see yours."

Spinning around, she said, "Oh Kami!"

Sesshomaru chuckled.

He sniffed once again.

'She's an innocent. Good.'

"Th…there's really no need for that…I don't plan on showing you mine."

"Scared Ka-go-me?"

'Why did him saying her name like that make her shiver?' she wondered.

"Oh Kami yes," she said aloud, before she realized that she had spoken out loud.

'Oh hell'

"Just proves what my nose tells me," Sesshomaru said.

"And what does your nose tell you?" Kagome said, voice wavering only a little.

"That you are an innocent."

"Well…as far as that goes I am, but I've done some stuff."

"Such as?"

"Kissing."

"Really?"

"Why do you seem so surprised? I'm not ugly you know."

"I never said you were ugly or unattractive…only ningen…but whom did you kiss?"

"You know if I didn't know any better I would swear you were jealous."

'I must remember to control my tone when she is around.'

"Hn."

"You aren't really jealous, are you? You can't really be jealous of me?"

"Who?"

"I don't have to…"

She suddenly found herself backed into a tree.

However, instead of being held by the throat for disobeying him and not answering his question, as she would have expected, she was pinned by his hand on her shoulder and his upper body.

Blinking a bit over the nearness & intimacy of his current position, she looked up to find him looking at her intensely.

"Uhmm…Sesshoma.."

"Who…I will not ask you again?"

"Who have I kissed, right?"

Sesshomaru merely raised an eyebrow at her.

"Inuyasha…and Shippo of course…and my brother, my mother, my father when he was alive, my Jii-chan, my…"

"I did not mean children or family. You kissed Inuyasha?"

Kagome nodded.

"Why?"

"It was the only thing I could think off to stop him from changing into a demon."

"And it worked?"

"At the time…. some fake Princess Kaguya was trying to seal away his human side in her mirror."

"Hn."

"Um…Sesshomaru?"

"Hai."

"Are you going to move back now?"

Sesshomaru smirked down at her.

"Why should I move? Do you not like the way I am pressed up against you?"

'I am so not going to answer that' Kagome thought while her mind continued saying and flashing other images of things she felt she was too innocent to know.

"Scared to look at me little Miko?"

"You're not going to move away, are you?" she squeaked softly, talking more to herself than to him.

"Now why would I do that," he asked, lowering his lips to hers, "I think one of your prizes should be a real kiss."

"A real…" the rest of her words were cut off as his lips covered hers.

Their first touch caused her to gasp at the electricity shooting between them.

Liking her reaction, Sesshomaru broke apart and then covered her lips with his own, pressing more firmly this time.

When they finally broke apart, moments later, both were breathing hard.

"Oh sweet Kami"

'Wait, did I just say that out loud,' Kagome asked herself.

Seeing his grinning smirk, she almost smacked herself as she realized that she had.

She blushed deeply.

Sesshomaru smiled even more as he watched her turn red.

"You kiss well…for a ningen," he drawled out at her.

She glared at him, her blush fading away and pushed him back, a few feet away from her.

He chuckled soundlessly.

'My little miko has a temper huh? How fun this will be…and how exciting my life will become.'

"You're the one that wanted to kiss me…so who are you to complain?"

"Did I complain? I believe I gave you a complement."

"By saying it was good for a ningen?"

Sesshomaru shrugged,

"On the whole, I don't go around kissing ningens…mostly because many are not worthy of my attention. Others that might have snagged a fraction of my attention are too unpleasant via my olfactory senses."

Kagome giggled.

"What is so funny miko?"

"You."

He growled his displeasure at her and she corrected herself,

"No…not like that. I meant, that instead of just saying that most of them smell bad, you said it all …proper."

"I am Lord of the Western Lands..."

"Yes I know."

"…I have a reputation to uphold…and I have to speak properly," he continued as if she hadn't interrupted.

She rolled her eyes at him and ignored his pointed look.

"Anyway…did I do a good job?"

He raised his eyebrow and smirked at her.

"I meant with the costume you hentai…not the kiss," she said blushing, she would have smacked at his arm, but she remembered at the last second that the demon lord, although much softer and stranger acting than normal, probably wouldn't take her hitting him lightly.

He chuckled softly.

"Are you sure you don't want to let me check to make sure you correctly portrayed my markings?"

Kagome blushed hotly and nodded, avoiding his glance.

He laughed and then decided to answer her.

"Yes ningen…you did well. This Sesshomaru is impressed…a hard thing for a ningen to accomplish."

"Thank you, thank you," she said bowing to him.

He smiled again.

"You know…"

She looked up at him.

"In youkai circles…dressing up as another signifies something special."

Sesshomaru was slowly returning to his previous position, and Kagome who was leaning against the tree was just watching him, unsure of his actions and motives behind them.

"Such as?"

"Adoration.

Attentiveness.

Flattery.

Attraction.

Seduction."

With each word he stepped closer and closer to her, stopping in front of her, almost as close as he had been when he had kissed her.

Leaning forward to whisper in her ear he told her,

"And last, but far from least, a female dressing up as a male, especially in inuyoukai circles, signifies that the female is powerful enough and willing to be one's mate."

Kagome stiffened, looking at him with eyes wide as saucers.

Her mouth opened a few times, but she was too shocked to form words

Sesshomaru took the opportunity of her shock to kiss her once again, this time using his tongue to show hers how to stroke his mouth lovingly.

Both shuddered as the sparks that were in their first kiss, were much more pronounced this time.

She pulled away gasping and he let her, for the time being.

'She's going to run…I can feel it,' he thought to himself.

"I…I…I got to go," she said, dashing around him and taking off…at first running towards the village and then realizing that she was going home first and turned the other way.

He chuckled silently to himself as he watched her; he was trying to decide whether or not to let her go like that.

Deciding on an action, he blurred past her, and stopped, causing her to run into him, standing a few feet from the well.

He caught her before she could fall backward and pulled her close.

"You may only escape me because I allow it, little Miko…but I will catch you…eventually…and when I do…I'll not let you go," he told her softly in her ear, before kissing, said ear, and then letting go of her.

When she looked up at his eyes, it was to see emotion burning deep in them, something she had never seen before from the once cold Ice Lord of the Western Lands.

'I don't know if he's just toying with me or if he really means it…and if I don't go now…I'm going to be in trouble. Like this…he could make me fall for him.'

He sniffed at her essence and could tell that she was attracted to him and she was very much confused by him and his actions, not that he could really blame her; he was acting very unlike himself, even to him.

She moved and first he tightened his arm, wishing for once that he had two arms to wrap around her tightly with, and then he released her saying,

"I'll give you a deal little Miko…I'll relent from actively attempting to kill my hanyou brother, no matter how loud and annoying he gets, and the next time you see me, you have to accept whatever I give you and smile at me. Acceptable?"

Kagome knew she was trapped.

Curiosity was getting the best of her and she wanted desperately to know what he'd give her and how he really felt.

Cause if this was some weird trick; she was going to purify the hell out of him.

Picking up on her emotions he said, "I'm waiting,"

Taking a deep breath, she nodded, but had to ask

"Are you sure, cause you know Inuyasha is going to try you…"

"I can handle him."

"Well…alright then."

He smiled at her and moved to the side, so she could continue to the well.

When he saw she hadn't moved, he asked,

"Were you not heading to your own village beyond the well?"

"Yes."

"You're not moving."

"I'm not?"

"No."

"Oh…" Kagome sat looking at him with unblinking eyes. Her mind was eons away in the midst of her confusion and happiness and shock.

When she still hadn't moved seconds later he stepped forward and her eyes focused on him and she asked,

"What are you doing?"

"I was coming to help you. Or maybe just kiss you again…I have not decided yet."

Kagome blushed deeply and he laughed once again.

"I think you just like to tease me."

"It is pleasurable."

Kagome wrinkled her nose at him and pulled a face at him.

When he took another step she said,

"I'm going, I'm going…in a rush to be rid of me I see," she said, teasingly, forgetting whom she was talking to as she stepped around him and headed to the well.

Right before she would have jumped in, his hand closed around her wrist again and he pulled her back to his chest saying,

"No…but I want you to hurry and come back," came his whispered response against her ear before he stepped back to where he had been.

'This is so not real…I have to be dreaming,' she thought as she said,

"Okay…um…Goodbye for now Sesshomaru."

"Goodbye for now…" he said softly, just staring at her.

She gave him a little wave and jumped into the well.

The blue light swirled around her and she slipped through time to come up on her side, climbing up and out of the well, pleased and confused with the reactions she had received from Sesshomaru.

On the other side of the well, Sesshomaru watched and waited for the blue light fade and disappear, announcing that the young miko was now gone, before finishing his goodbye,

"…My soon to be mate."

End of Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for the reviews…I love you all. Spunkles


	4. Chapter 4: Dealings and Confrontations

Chapter 4: Dealings and Confrontations

It had been a good couple of weeks, since Kagome had dressed up like Sesshomaru and had been kissed by him.

She had gone home; showered, and changed and then had returned to the past only moments before her hanyou friend had come looking for her. She had been sure that had she stayed, she would have gotten into a fight with Inuyasha for not only looking like his brother, but smelling of him as well.

But apparently, she had done a good job of scrubbing and masking his scent, for although Inuyasha had said and noticed that his brother had been in the area, he didn't smell him on her at all.

Letting out a brief sigh of relief, they had gone back to Kaede's village and rejoined their group.

Now, weeks later, their group hadn't seen him or his companions since, and Kagome was beginning to think that it had all been a very detailed dream that she must have had due to undercooked ramen at Inuyasha's rushing & hurrying.

But dream or not, she could get neither Sesshomaru nor his actions out of her mind.

'I've got to stop thinking about him,' she thought to herself, ' before I go mad.'

Just when she had made the decision and was determined to keep it, she saw Inuyasha's ears twitch and then he began to growl menacingly seconds before whipping Tessaiga out & brandishing it in front of them.

'Hmm,' Kagome thought. 'If it was an attacking demon, he'd have leapt off already. So it's either Koga or Sesshomaru.'

Just thinking of Sesshomaru made Kagome's heart beat double time.

'O Kami, get it under control Kagome,' she thought to herself & was about to ask Inuyasha what was going on when Sesshomaru, Jaken, the two headed dragon, & Sesshomaru's ward, Rin, came into view.

Seeing Rin, Kagome turned to Inuyasha, who was about to raise & swing his sword.

"Stop Inuyasha…he has Rin with him."

Inuyasha didn't even answer her; he was already starting forward, getting into a better stance to swing.

Kagome sighed & then continued,

"Osuwari"

Inuyasha slammed to the ground & Rin giggled at the sight. Jaken chuckled with her while Sesshomaru allowed a smirk to cross his features.

Then Sesshomaru turned his gaze to Kagome, who blushed hotly, but smiled at him.

He gave her a real smile in return & then stepped towards her.

Sango, Miroku & Kirara readied their selves for a possible battle & Shippo hid behind Kagome's leg, while Inuyasha's spell was just starting to wear off, enough so he could raise his head and glare at Kagome.

"Oi wench, what the hell was that for?"

"Rin is with him, Inuyasha…. besides, he's not pulling out his sword or threatening you."

"Oh yeah…let's just wait for him to lob off someone's head first & then we'll truly know his intent."

Kagome rolled her eyes and her friend & stepped forward, bending & formally greeting the approaching entourage with a customary bow & a smile.

Sesshomaru's brow rose, but he played along and inclined his head in response to her greeting.

Jaken grumbled something about how she better treat the Great Sesshomaru with even more respect than she and her worthless ningen manners were currently showing & how it was about time she learned how to interact with her betters.

Before either Sesshomaru or Kagome could react or reprimand or, in Sesshomaru's case, injure the Kappa Youkai, Rin did their work for them…even though it was unintentional.

For Rin, who had seen Kagome at that moment, scrambled down off of Ah Un and landed on Jaken's back, causing the small demon to flop forward into the dirt.

And if that hadn't been bad enough, in Rin's hurry to get over to Kagome, she had hopped off his back & onto his head, as she ran towards Kagome to greet her, forcing Jaken's face deep into the dirt as well.

Kagome laughed out loud at the sight, catching Rin, who had launched herself at the young reincarnated miko, in the nick of time.

Sesshomaru was content to smirk at the downed kappa, before returning his gaze to that of his ward & the miko Kagome.

Jaken, for his part, realized his folly when he felt his Lord's jyaki rise & attempt to strangle him moments before he was pushed to the ground & then stepped on by Rin in her haste to get off Ah Un & run to the young miko.

After a few anxious moments in wondering why he had not received a swift kick for his insolence, Jaken began to push himself up & off of the ground. Using the staff of two heads as leverage, he was finally able to make it to his feet where he began dusting off the dirt. He didn't' dare complain out loud for fear that his Lord would remember that he was still tickled with him and would punish him in some way.

Glancing up, he saw that his Lord's attention was on the Miko & Rin.

He sighed in relief; thinking that he had for once escaped his employer's wrath.

"Jaken."

Shuddering at the ice layered voice of his Lord & master, Jaken answered with a trembling voice,

"Y…yes my Lord?"

"Take this pendant & have it chained & resized to fit the Miko Kagome's neck."

Sesshomaru tossed a small round disk at Jaken, pleased when the Kappa jumped to catch the object & then crashed to the ground because he had forgotten that he could not fly & was as much affected by gravity & the pull of the earth as the ningens that he looked down on.

Ignoring his painful landing he scrambled up immediately only to drop to his knees and bow low to Sesshomaru before saying,

"Yes my Lord…I'll take care of this immediately."

Jaken rushed to the edge of the forest, intending to get away quickly before Sesshomaru remembered his wrath towards him and was stopped by his Lord's voice, just seconds before reaching the safe distance of the forest.

"Jaken"

"Yes my Lord?"

"Do not think that your insolent behavior has escaped the notice of this Sesshomaru. If you were not needed for this assignment, I would kill you for your actions. If you fail in your mission…I'll make sure to end your life."

Gulping hard, Jaken responded, "Yes Sesshomaru-sama."

After bowing low once again, the kappa demon turned and ran…determined to get his errand done with all haste so that he could prove himself still worthy to serve his beloved Sesshomaru-sama.

After his companion's escape/leave Sesshomaru returned his gaze to Rin & Kagome and realized that Kagome had just succeeded in prying the young girl from her person and was greeting her in return.

"Kagome-onee-chan, Rin is very happy to see you again."

"I see that. I'm glad to see you as well Rin."

Rin gave her a wide smile & seeing Shippo behind her leg, darted forward and tackled the small kitsune youkai & they giggled together as they rolled around, finally stopping with Rin sitting on top of him saying,

"Ha…Rin pinned you, Shippo. That means Rin wins and you're it…and you can't catch Rin Shippo-chan…Rin has longer legs than you."

Running away from him and darting behind Miroku & Sango, Rin waited for Shippo to sniff her out and then chase her, which he did almost immediately and soon the two children were lost in their game of tag with Kirara running alongside both of them.

Kagome watched them with a smile on her face.

Turning back to look at Sesshomaru, she noticed that Inuyasha had leapt over to his brother and was brandishing his sword at him.

If it hadn't been for Sesshomaru's brief look and smirk, she would have interfered.

As it was, she remembered that Sesshomaru had promised not to fight with Inuyasha, so she went back to watching the children.

"What are you doing here, Sesshomaru?"

"My business is my own half-breed…I do not need to justify it with the likes of you."

"I'm making it my business."

Sesshomaru flicked his hand through his silver locks, but didn't reply. He only narrowed his eyes minutely at his younger brother.

Inuyasha decided that he was through using words with Sesshomaru; he was more of an action demon anyway. Pulling his sword back, he lunged it at Sesshomaru, shouting about how he was going to run him through with it and be done with him for once and all.

Sesshomaru, using his demonic speed, darted out of the way of his half-brother's attack and advanced on Inuyasha, smirking wickedly before punching Inuyasha and knocking him backwards.

Inuyasha landed on his back, some distance away, stunned from the blow.

Sitting up and shaking his head to shake off the disorientation, he prepared to attack again.

"What the hell was that for, bastard?"

"You dare to attempt to skewer me on Tessaiga and you expect me to sit still for it and not defend myself? I knew you were dense Inuyasha, but I thought you had some small, minute intelligence that didn't leave you completely void of redemption."

Inuyasha growled menacingly and narrowed his eyes at his brother before once again leaping forward.

Sesshomaru didn't bother to sidestep him this time, but took out Tokijin at the last moment and used it to counter his brother's sword.

Pressing forward, Sesshomaru used only a bit of Tokijin's power and blasted his brother backwards a few feet.

"This Sesshomaru didn't come to fight you today Inuyasha, and that would be the only reason this Sesshomaru allows you to live after attacking him. Do not forget your place half-breed, countless of lower youkai have met their end for less than what I have allowed you to get away with today."

"How dare you talk to me like that…you arrogant bastard?"

"Now see how you treat your dear aniki… I was all set not to fight with you today, but it seems that you need a lesson…and this Sesshomaru is more than capable of teaching you how to treat your betters."

With that he lunged forward and Inuyasha needed a good deal of his strength just to stop Sesshomaru from cutting some part of him deeply.

Inuyasha growled at him, jumping back out of the way and then jumped forward once again, trying to get a hit on Sesshomaru, but only finding his every move parried by his older half-brother.

After they had been clashing swords for some time, Inuyasha had decided that he had had enough and jumped way back, raised his sword and was about to release his Kaze no Kizu when Kagome, who had just turned towards the rest of the group when the children headed towards Ah Un to play with the two headed dragon, realized the danger about to befall Sesshomaru and the children.

Knowing that her screams would fall on deaf hanyou ears, Inuyasha was far to pissed off to listen to reason now, she did the only thing she could.

"OSUWARI!"

Inuyasha crashed to the ground once again.

Shippo & Rin, looking up from their game, giggled to themselves before restarting their game of tag. Sesshomaru allowed the briefest of smiles to grace his face before returning to his usual stoic expression. Miroku and Sango smiled and then returned to their conversation. Kagome for her part, just braced herself…for she knew that she'd soon have a very irate hanyou on her hands.

When the spell wore off, Inuyasha leaped over to her and screamed at her,

'What the hell was that for wench?"

All plans to answer him calmly went flying out of the window at his tone and she raised her voice to match his answering his question with a question of her own,

"What do you think you were doing?"

"Saving our lives, you ungrateful wench!"

"Osuwari"

THUMP

Once again Inuyasha hit the ground.

Sighing deeply, her anger subsiding minutely, Kagome squatted down next to the Inuyasha shaped crater and said,

And just what part of our lives was in danger, Inuyasha? Sesshomaru already said that he wasn't here to fight and we all know him to be honorable. Besides…Shippo & Rin were in the line of fire, but you didn't even notice, did you?"

Inuyasha just glared up at her from his spell-induced crater.

"Well, did you?"

"Feh!"

"I'll take that as a no."

"They weren't in any danger…"

"You didn't even notice them…I was just stopping you from hurting the children…. jeez."

Inuyasha stopped glaring at her but said nothing but his usual, "Feh," and turned his back on her.

Kagome grinned and tugged gently at one of his ears.

"Don't be such a spoilsport…be nice for once."

"To him?"

"It won't hurt you."

"So you say," Inuyasha muttered.

Seeing that they were making up, Sesshomaru thought of a wicked plan to halt such a thing…. all he needed to do was provoke Inuyasha…. shouldn't be too hard.

"Deferring and giving into a human wench Inuyasha…. that's low even for you."

"Sesshomaru!"

"Shut up Sesshomaru!"

Sesshomaru ignored Kagome's outburst…. just a little more of a push, he thought. Good thing Inuyasha is always quick tempered or this would take more time.

"What's wrong little brother…. can't keep your loving miko wench under control?"

"Shut the hell up Sesshomaru. And for your information…she's not my loving anything…she's nothing more than a shard detector."

"Sesshomaru stop…I'm a what?!"

"Uh…O…K…Kagome…. I didn't meant it like that... you know that I care for…I…I just meant."

"**OSUWARI!"**

The force of her yell knocked Inuyasha unconscious and she stormed off towards the stream that they had passed earlier, both to refill her water bottle and to calm down.

Sesshomaru watched the miko walk away with satisfaction and a small smile on his face and once she was gone from sight he turned to look at the rest of the group.

Miroku and Sango were shaking their heads, but both believed that Inuyasha had deserved what he had gotten to be worried over him. It was him that they kept giving small worried glances at, for they weren't sure of his motives.

He turned his gaze to the children, interested in neither the houshi nor the taijiya, and found a sight that almost made him laugh out loud.

Rin & Shippo were kneeling down next to the hole which contained the unconscious Inuyasha and whispering to one another.

Thanks to demonic hearing, he could hear the conversation that the Inuyasha's ningen companions could not.

"Is he dead, Shippo-chan?"  
"No…Kagome sat him."

"Why'd Kagome-onee-chan do that?"

"Cause he was being stupid. Whenever he gets really stupid…or mean to me…Kagome sits him."

"How…Rin would like to sit Jaken sometimes…"

"It's in the necklace that he wears around his neck."

"The beaded necklace that Rin helped to put back together?"

"Yep."

"Oh…Shippo-chan?"

"Hmm?"  
"Do you think that Kagome-onee-chan will let Rin borrow Inuyasha-onii-chan's necklace for a little bit so Rin can make Jaken sit?"

Shippo laughed at the thought, but then shook his head.

"I don't think she can do that Rin…but maybe we can get Kaede-oba-chan to make you one for Jaken."

"That would be great…but Jaken maybe won't wear it. Jaken doesn't like it when Rin makes flower wreathes and put them on Jaken's head to try to make him beautiful."

Shippo laughed and then said,

"Don't worry about that…we'll make sure he'll wear it."

Rin smiled and looked down at Inuyasha.

"Are you sure he isn't dead Shippo-chan?"

"Uh huh…here, I'll show you."

Shippo then looked around and found a good stick, picked it up and poked at the still unconscious hanyou, who groaned.

"See…told ya."

Rin smiled at him and then told him to come with her so she could make Inuyasha a get better flower wreath.

Shippo laughed aloud, but agreed and they ran off to collect flowers for Rin's wreath.

Sesshomaru chuckled softly to himself and then turned toward the direction Kagome had taken some time ago and strode off into the forest, Miroku and Sango watching him go, but unaware that he was heading toward Kagome, they didn't bother to stop or follow him, but instead resumed their earlier task of preparing their afternoon meal and watching over the children.

It took Sesshomaru almost no time to catch up to Kagome.

She was sitting on a rock near the stream, her full water bottle swinging from her arm as her legs swung back and forth as she looked down into the stream.

She looked up as Sesshomaru approached her.

He wondered what she was thinking about, but before he got a chance to ask her, she said,

"That was a rotten trick Sesshomaru."

"I'm sure this Sesshomaru has no idea what you are referring to."

"You knew full well I would SIT him for that."

Sesshomaru smirked, but said nothing.

"And you said you wouldn't fight with him."

'"I didn't say that."

"Sessho…I mean Sesshomaru."

"That nickname, from you…does not offend me…you may use it…. little Miko."

"You're avoiding the point," Kagome said, blushing hotly.

"Not really…This Sesshomaru is ignoring it…two quite different things."

Kagome groaned & Sesshomaru smirked at her.

"You promised me you wouldn't fight with him."

"No…this Sesshomaru promised you that he wouldn't actively attempt to kill Inuyasha…this Sesshomaru never promised not to fight with him."

Kagome shook her head and groaned.

"But you knew what I meant."

Sesshomaru's smirk widened, but he neither agreed nor disagreed.

Kagome shook her head once again.

"I don't know why I deal with either one of you," she muttered to herself.

"I cannot answer for why you deal with the half-breed, besides that you must have some affection for him & may feel duty bound to honor your promise to piece back together the shards of the Shikon no Tama, but as for dealing with this Sesshomaru…"

Quicker than Kagome knew, her back was up against a tree and Sesshomaru was pressing into her, his nose nuzzling her neck before brushing his lips tightly across hers before pulling away to say,

"…I'm pretty sure it's because you want me."

Kagome sputtered and glared at him, until she noticed the twinkle in his eyes that betrayed his usual stoic expression.

"You're doing it again," she said softly.

"Doing what?" he asked, dropping his tone and bending toward her to block out the others view, had they decided to follow either one of them and were now watching the ongoing conversation between the Miko & Demon Lord.

"You're teasing me again."  
"Yes."

"I don't know why."

"I enjoy your reactions."

Kagome gave him a look.

"Do you think that This Sesshomaru would lower himself to tell falsehoods?"

"No, no…but did you ever stop to realize that you're acting very strange."

"I'm aware that my behavior somewhat deviates from the norm."

"And?"  
"And what?"

"Aren't you worried about the cause?"  
"No."

"Why not?"

"I already know the cause, Ka-go-me."

The way he said her name, made her almost shiver delightfully, but she ignored it and asked,

"What's the cause then?"

Stepping forward, he pinned her up against a tree like he had last time, holding her there with his upper body and right hand.

Leaning forward, until their foreheads touched and leaving only a whisper of space between them, he said, so softly that if she hadn't been so close she wouldn't have heard he said,

"You."

As Kagome's eyes widened in shock, Sesshomaru's head lowered and he closed the gap in between them, claiming her lips as his for the taking.

(End chapter 4)

A/N: Thank you for all the great reviews…sorry for the extremely long delay, but first I had a long list of things go wrong and then when I finally got a chance to write, the disk I had my story on erased my story…so I had to redo it all.

Hope you enjoy…. and hang on for more…

Spunkles


	5. Chapter 5: Interlude

Chapter 5: Interlude

_Last time_:

It took Sesshomaru almost no time to catch up to Kagome.

She was sitting on a rock near the stream, her full water bottle swinging from her arm as her legs swung back and forth as she looked down into the stream.

She looked up as Sesshomaru approached her.

He wondered what she was thinking about, but before he got a chance to ask her, she said,

"That was a rotten trick Sesshomaru."

"I'm sure this Sesshomaru has no idea what you are referring to."

"You knew full well I would SIT him for that."

Sesshomaru smirked, but said nothing.

"And you said you wouldn't fight with him."

'"I didn't say that."

"Sessho…I mean Sesshomaru."

"That nickname, from you…does not offend me…you may use it…. little Miko."

"You're avoiding the point," Kagome said, blushing hotly.

"Not really…This Sesshomaru is ignoring it…two quite different things."

Kagome groaned & Sesshomaru smirked at her.

"You promised me you wouldn't fight with him."

"No…this Sesshomaru promised you that he wouldn't actively attempt to kill Inuyasha…this Sesshomaru never promised not to fight with him."

Kagome shook her head and groaned.

"But you knew what I meant."

Sesshomaru's smirk widened, but he neither agreed nor disagreed.

Kagome shook her head once again.

"I don't know why I deal with either one of you," she muttered to herself.

"I cannot answer for why you deal with the half-breed, besides that you must have some affection for him & may feel duty bound to honor your promise to piece back together the shards of the Shikon no Tama, but as for dealing with this Sesshomaru…"

Quicker than Kagome knew, her back was up against a tree and Sesshomaru was pressing into her, his nose nuzzling her neck before brushing his lips tightly across hers before pulling away to say,

"…I'm pretty sure it's because you want me."

Kagome sputtered and glared at him, until she noticed the twinkle in his eyes that betrayed his usual stoic expression.

"You're doing it again," she said softly.

"Doing what?" he asked, dropping his tone and bending toward her to block out the others view, had they decided to follow either one of them and were now watching the ongoing conversation between the Miko & Demon Lord.

"You're teasing me again."  
"Yes."

"I don't know why."

"I enjoy your reactions."

Kagome gave him a look.

"Do you think that This Sesshomaru would lower himself to tell falsehoods?"

"No, no…but did you ever stop to realize that you're acting very strange."

"I'm aware that my behavior somewhat deviates from the norm."

"And?"  
"And what?"

"Aren't you worried about the cause?"  
"No."

"Why not?"

"I already know the cause, Ka-go-me."

The way he said her name, made her almost shiver delightfully, but she ignored it and asked,

"What's the cause then?"

Stepping forward, he pinned her up against a tree like he had last time, holding her there with his upper body and right hand.

Leaning forward, until their foreheads touched and leaving only a whisper of space between them, he said, so softly that if she hadn't been so close she wouldn't have heard he said,

"You."

As Kagome's eyes widened in shock, Sesshomaru's head lowered and he closed the gap in between them, claiming her lips as his for the taking.

_Currently_:

Kagome stood no chance under Sesshomaru's assault.

The thing he was doing with just his lips and when she opened her mouth, his tongue, was enough to send her legs on a permanent vacation.

Had he not been so fast and quick enough to catch her, she would have slid to the ground boneless-ly.

Sesshomaru, for his part, enjoyed the reactions he got from his miko.

It made his inner demon purr in contentment, and it also made the same beast strain against him in order to mark her and make her his now.

Closing his eyes and backing away, so both of them could breathe, he chained down his inner beast and regained control before it could take over and rush everything – It wouldn't do for her to run, she was still confused about him.

After Kagome regained control of her breathing, she looked at him, and saw to her shock that his eyes were rimmed with red.

As she looked on, however, the color faded away, leaving only his beautiful golden eyes.

"Why were your eye red just now?"

Sesshomaru blinked slowly at her, but didn't answer.

'How to answer that and not frighten her?'

"My beast was reacting to something."

Kagome nodded and then looked around him.

She cocked her head to the side and listened. For what he was unsure of, until she turned and looked at him.

"Is Inuyasha coming?"

He smirked.

"No…the hanyou is still unconscious."

"Oh…. he's going to be so mad at me when he wakes up."

Sesshomaru shrugged.

"That is an understatement."

She frowned at him…but knew what he said was true. So she just sighed and sat back.

"I guess I should go back."

"Or you could not."

"I have to."

"Why?"

"Because the others will be looking for me."

Sesshomaru cocked his head to the side as he heard Inuyasha groan as he began to regain his consciousness…but the rest of her companions were busy with their daily tasks and were not looking for her yet, allowing her to cool down from her anger.

Remembering such made him smirk.

"What?"

He glanced at her, raising his eyebrow in question.

"What was the smirk for?"

"The half-breed is regaining consciousness."

"Okay…but why smirk."

"I was remembering what made him unconscious…and I am very glad I am not bound by such a device."

Kagome gave a feminine snort but was about to remove herself from being so close to him when she saw an actual smile grace his lips.

"Okay why are you smiling?"

"I heard an interesting conversation before I came after you…. would you like to hear?"

"Was it Miroku & Sango?"

"No."  
"Okay…I'm curious…please tell me."

To which he did…by the time he was finished, Kagome was laughing so hard she almost fell off the rock and into the water and would have if Sesshomaru had not caught her and held her close.

"Oh that must have been priceless."

"I am pretty sure when you return to camp, Rin will ply you for enchantment beads to Sit Jaken."

"Ha…you wouldn't even have to threaten me for that…I'd do that just to pay that little kappa devil back for trying to hit me with that staff of two heads a couple of years ago. Not to mention all the nasty things he says …although he gets beat up pretty bad then, so I guess never mind. I still might do it though…"

Sesshomaru smiled down at her and then noticed how perfectly they fitted together. His eyes partially closed as his thoughts turned inward and although he heard his half-brother approaching., he really didn't care.

It was about time the hanyou realized his seriousness in his pursuit of the miko and it was also time she realize it as well. He would not be denied his choice of a mate.

He pulled her even closer to him, and when she glanced up at him, he lowered his head and captured her lips in another searing kiss.

Kagome was lost as soon as his lips touched hers and the only thing she could focus on was him and the way he made her feel.

In that moment, the rest of the world faded away, and there was only the two of them in it.

And that was how Inuyasha found them…as he came leaping into the area after finally regaining consciousness. He had woken to find flower wreathes woven into many braids in his hair – thanks to Rin.

And noticing Shippo's evil smirk, he had threatened Shippo that if he ever braided flowers in his hair again, he'd string him up from the nearest tree and not all the sits in the world from Kagome would stop his torture.

Then he had looked around for the girl who had put him in the condition and had found her nowhere to be seen. So he had took a sniff and located her a little ways away and leapt after her, planning to lay into her good for sitting him so hard.

As he had gotten closer, he realized that his half-brother was either near her or with her…and that made him quicken his pace.

Reaching them, preparing to do battle, should Sesshomaru be bothering her or she need his help…he could do nothing but stare in shocked surprise as he took in the sight of the two kissing and embracing.

Inuyasha's mouth hung open, staring in shock as his mouth opened and closed repeatedly like a fish, without sound.

Swearing his eyes were playing horrid tricks on him, he closed his eyes and sniffed…but if he was expecting this to be a dream, more like a nightmare for him, or an illusion, than he was surely mistaken.

His nose told him that Kagome & Sesshomaru were definitely right in front of him.

He opened his eyes once again, and saw them just as before…embracing…kissing…and not even noticing his presence.

In a flash, his mind connected with his mouth and he roared,

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!!!!!"

End of Chapter 5 – Interlude –

A/N: Yes I know…very brief…but I felt like having an interlude – then next part is being written as you read – besides look at it this way – you got a quick taste a lot earlier than if I had of kept going -hope you enjoy and thanks for all your reviews- you know I love you all.


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